ICNP of the Year Awarded

Paul Saladin was awarded the 2017 ICNP of the year award by the INLA board of directors.

Paul began his academic career back at the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana. He originally wanted to study aeronautical engineering and then decided his passion was for PLANTS! He was a Forestry major undergrad. Many of his friends and family cautioned him that getting a degree in Forestry was a dead end for getting a job but he pressed on.

His first year out of college he enrolled and served for two years in the Peace Corps. His assignments was to work on a reforestation project in Guatemala. Paul trained local workers, so that when he left they could carry on the project.  After the Peace Corps, he took a job with the U.S. Forest Service in Washington State on the Mt. Adams Ranger District. After a few years, he decided to return to graduate school in Forestry back at the University of Illinois. He focused primarily on tissue culture of trees.

Paul and his wife Lisa (of 32 years) have 3 grown children. He will retire from Kirkwood Community College this summer after having spent the last 20 years enlightening young minds to the science of Horticulture.

Congrats Paul!